The two teams that played for the national title on Monday night finished the season atop the AP Top 25.
Ohio State is the obvious No. 1 team after beating Notre Dame 34-23 for the College Football Playoff national title. The Irish are the clear No. 2 in the poll with nearly 100 more points than No. 3 Oregon. As you would expect, Ohio State got all of the 56 first-place votes.
The Ducks opened the College Football Playoff at No. 1 after they were the only undefeated team at the top level of college football during the regular season. However, Oregon’s undefeated run came to an end in its first playoff game when Ohio State jumped out to a 31-0 second-quarter lead on the way to a 41-21 win in the Rose Bowl.
The other two teams in the top five are the two semifinal game losers. Texas finishes the season at No. 4 after losing 28-14 to the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. No. 5 Penn State lost 27-24 to Notre Dame on a late field goal in the Orange Bowl.
The top 10 is also filled out by teams that made the playoff. Georgia, Arizona State, Boise State, Tennessee and Indiana are Nos. 6 through 10. The two teams that made the playoff but finished the season outside the top 10 are No. 12 SMU and No. 14 Clemson. The Tigers made the playoff with their last-second win over the Mustangs in the ACC title game while SMU was the last at-large team in the field.
Ole Miss is the highest non-playoff team in the rankings at No. 11. The SEC finishes the season with the most ranked teams with seven, while the Big Ten had five teams in the top 25 and all five of those were in the top 16.
Final AP Top 25
1. Ohio State (14-2)
2. Notre Dame (14-2)
3. Oregon (13-1)
4. Texas (13-3)
5. Penn State (13-3)
6. Georgia (11-3)
7. Arizona State (11-3)
8. Boise State (12-2)
9. Tennessee (10-3)
10. Indiana (11-2)
11. Ole Miss (10-3)
12. SMU (11-3)
13. BYU (11-2)
14. Clemson (10-4)
15. Iowa State (11-3)
16. Illinois (10-3)
17. Alabama (9-4)
18. Miami (10-3)
19. South Carolina (9-4)
20. Syracuse (10-3)
21. Army (12-2)
22. Missouri (10-3)
23. UNLV (11-3)
24. Memphis (11-2)
25. Colorado (9-4)
